Eyes Wide Cut

See the pattern? All of the women displayed are missing part of their face or headand all of them are missing eyes. (Although I stopped after twenty-one, I could have selected dozens more.)

I started looking for examples after this phenomena was pointed out by A.G. Harmon at Image magazine:

[K]nowing there are platoons of marketers who focus group this kind of stuffnovel titles, and the color and texture of book jacketsIm sure this fad is the most intentional of things. That is, its not why I myself would do it this way: because eyes are hard to draw. No. They must be on to something; this must be a good idea, sales-wise.

But how come? I decided that eyes give too much away; theyre too committal. These books all seem intended to reserve an air of mystery, of exoticism: if you want to know me, you must pay twenty-five dollars for the hardcover, and still youll only scratch the surface.